Today, this West Texas outpost is favorite destination for art lovers, who flock to the dessert in order to explore The Chinati Foundation– an art museum conceived around the ideas of Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, and Robert Chamberlain, with a rotating cast of others exhibited in various buildings around Marfa.

Others come for the very instagrammable quirky vibe and relaxed sense of community– which is why photos of Prada Marfa and various other  Marfa-based art pop-ups and fashion shoots have been popping up on Instagram over the course of the last several years.

On a recent trip to Marfa, our staff observed people renovating a bungalow with integrity, using chicly appropriate landscaping that was respectful of and suitable for the climate. We enjoyed walking the streets coffee in hand as the occasional tumbleweed blew by– taking in the natural beauty that is so vital for our mental and physical health.

Below are some of our favorite spots.

The Chinati Foundation

When visiting Marfa, The Chinati Foundation is de rigueur. The town’s premiere art museum was conceived around the musings of Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, and Robert Chamberlain, whose works are all on display, with a rotating cast of other artists’ work exhibited in various buildings around town. Like Dia:Beacon, Judd’s other project in Beacon, New York, the buildings are often as compelling as the art itself.

The Get Go Grocery Store

The Get Go is one of those rural Texas staples that can only exist in Texas– a mix of mass consumer necessities and charming local brands pack the shelves at Marfa’s favorite grocery store. Here you’ll find everything from Marfa-made goat cheese and Marfa brand soaps to Big Bend roasted coffee and Topo Chico from across the border. There’s also fresh produce, ice cream, and other sundries.

Do Your Thing Coffee

We love the house made scones and cosy ambiance at Do Your Thing Coffee— a great place to get toast and a cup o’ joe while supporting local art. FWIW: the shortbread is excellent, as is the seasonal “green shakshuka” with Bulgarian yogurt, nigella seeds, avo, and serrano. So delicious!

The Pool at Hotel Saint George

The town keeps maturing with really good food, shopping, art, galleries, farmers market but all in balance in a beautiful natural wild Texas kind of way. Restaurant have their own unique hours and many shops have “text us and we will be right there” notes stuck on the doors. The pool at the new, chic Hotel Saint George opens to the community after 4pm. There’s just a wonderful community feel all-around.

The Cheshire Cate Antique Store in Alpine, Texas

Whether you’re a seasoned antique shopper or just looking for a little local color, The Cheshire Cat in Alpine, Texas has something for everyone. Here you’ll find great bargains on everything from furniture to decor fixtures that can only be found in the old west– like vintage American Indian jewelry, antique silver, and handmade furniture. This is a great place to stop en route to or on the way back from Big Bend National Park.

El Cosmico

We love the colorful striped bathrobes at El Cosmico, among so many other aspects of this charming trailer park/ teepee/ futuristic shelter hotel. El Cosmico is primarily known for its iconic, colorful trailers that you can rent like a hotel room for one night or several, but the teepee accommodation, safari tents, and futuristic bohemian yurts are also worth the stay. Rooms include access to bathhouses (thus the bathrobes), a hammock grove, outdoor kitchens, bike rentals, and wood-fired dutch hot tubs. One of the most unique hotels anywhere!

Dirt

Cactus and vintage clothes reign supreme at Dirt, the brainchild of Taylor Livingston and Alan Dickson, who envisioned the creative shop as a place to stock “grounding and uplifting items,” mostly cacti. The duo’s iconic green truck and garden are open Thursday through Tuesday from 10 to 5 PM. At 4,000 elevation, the days are hot and the nights are chilly, which makes for a lovely combination and even rarer flora. We love seeing cacti thriving next to roses.

The Water Stop

Right next door to Dirt, The Water Stop serves up southern style Texas staples, from organic rotisserie chicken with mac and cheese and kale with bacon jam (recommended) to diner-style breakfast sandwiches (above). The avocado toast is also just as good as you can get it in LA.

The Capri at Thunderbird Hotel

In Marfa you can stay in a cool airstream or a fashionable hotel, eat breakfast burrito from a food truck, or have drinks and dinner in the sublime garden at The Capri. Like all of the newer hotels in the area, the Thunderbird’s tranquility is rendered all the more effective as there are no planes flying in and out of the town, nor are there sirens– just gorgeous vistas during the day and star-filled skies at night.

The post Making The Most of Marfa, Texas appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

The display, which will be open to the public for three days, consists of 600,000 begonias, dahlias, grasses and dyed bark aimed at depicting the beauty of nature, and–for the first time in its history– the Flower Carpet will adopt a Latin American theme devoted to Guanajuato, a Mexican region with an exceptionally rich culture, history, and flower tradition. 

The floral carpet spans 1,800 square meters– over 75 m long and 24 m wide, and has come to be regarded as a premiere even on the Brussels culture map since it was first created in 1971.

“Every other summer, on the weekend of August 15th, the Flower Carpet offers a chance to stroll across the Grand-Place, a jewel of Gothic architecture, to inhale the fragrant scent of the begonias and admire its details,” the event website explains.

“This extraordinary spectacle is made complete by a visit to the balcony of the Town Hall, which offers a wide-angle view of the work. A musical theme is especially composed for each edition. A concert is given on the Grand-Place every evening and accompanies a magnificent sound-and-light show.”

The floral carpet will be open, August 16-19th from 10 AM to 10 PM. Get in before it closes and don’t miss the panoramic view from the balcony of the Town Hall (last entry is at 9:30 PM, and children under 10 get in free). The Grand Place is accessible by public transportation, bike, or car.

For more information about Belgium’s Floral Carpet, visit the installation’s website.

The post A Massive Flower Carpet Will Soon Bloom in Belgium appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

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From a fully-equipped treehouse on a nature reserve to a stone hut overlooking the bay, these five fall retreats from Paris offer whimsical escapes from ultra-urban Paris (but if you’re coming from anywhere else, Paris is also a great escape in and of itself).

Winter may be coming, but Fall is– gloriously– the place to be.

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

Photo: Maisons De Bricourt

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La Ferme Du Vent

Very chic indeed, the rustic retreat of La Ferme Du Vent overlooks the bay of Cancale and is owned by chef Olivier Roellinger, whose Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coquillage is just a five-minute stroll away. There’s neither Wi-Fi nor TV in these pared-down, wood-and-stone “kleds” (Breton for “wind shelters”)– only wood-burning stoves, light pouring in through the huge framed windows, and views of wild herbs, idle stones, and perhaps even Mont St Michel, which can be seen through autumn mist when the weather is just right (and it often is). City concerns are washed away in the retreat’s Celtic baths, a sanctuary of serenity designed for contemplation. In the evening, a fantastic modern dinner is set out on a weathered wood table in each bedroom.

La Ferme du Vent, Langavan, 35350 Saint Méloir des Ondes

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Photo: Un Matin Dans Les Bois

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Un Matin Dans Les Bois

Squirrels, deer and hares are among the neighbors at Marine and Laurent Dubrulle’s country guesthouse, a 17th-century manor house with charmingly converted annexes surrounded by orchards and wide, open spaces. The four bedrooms of Un Matin Dans Les Bois are located in the former stables, barn, and dovecote and are stocked with magazines, organic teas, essential-oil bath products, and plenty of natural decor. It’s also not far from the seaside resort of Le Touquet, but the summertime bustle fades away here. In the daytime, ask for binoculars, bicycles, and birding guides; at night, borrow a lantern and take a walk listening to the owls.

Un Matin Dans Les Bois, Le domaine du Fresnoy, 100 impasse du Fresnoy, 62990 Loison sur Crequoise

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

Photo: D'une Ile

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D’une Île

The 17th-century stone buildings are biscuit colored at D’une Île, 20-acre country sanctuary hidden in thick forest in lower Normandy. Here, artists and designers Sofie Sleumer and Michel Mulder have brought a minimalist modern touch to pastoral living: while rural paths lead into woods and prairie, eight individual bedrooms and suites are each more inviting than the other– this is just the place to put up your feet after a day spent walking through the fall foliage. Come dinnertime, an accomplished menu of local and homegrown produce is served alongside an impressive list of natural wines.

D’une Île, Domaine de Launay, Lieu-dit L’Aunay, 61110 Rémalard

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

Photo: Perche Dans Le Perche

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Perché dans le Perche

Follow the path through a meadow of wild flowers to come to this cozy cabin perched in a centuries-old sweet chestnut tree. Claire Stickland and Ivan Payonne’s cocoon-like treehouse of La Renardière stands in 25 acres of wild Normandy forest and artistic garden landscapes set within the natural regional park of Le Perche (just a couple of hours’ drive from Paris). At night, stargaze over pastures and woods; in the morning, open the door to a picnic-basket breakfast laden with treats including fresh juice, organic yogurts, home-made jams, a loaf of bread still warm from the oven, and a flask of Moorish hot chocolate.

Perché dans le Perche, La Renardière, 61130 Bellou-le-Trichard, Orne

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

Photo: Huttopia Rambouillet

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Huttopia Rambouillet

Popular with families, this lakeside nature resort in the Yvelines is chock full of activities and facilities for young and old. Stay in a canvas-and-wood hut, or just pitch your own tent amid thick vegetation at Huttopia Rambouillet. There’s a grocery corner, a café serving homemade pizzas, and a communal, wood fire-warmed lodge with board games and a TV, but the escape into nature is an easy one. Rent a bicycle and ride into the forest where red deer, fallow deer, and wild boars roam free; back on site, soak in the chlorine-free natural pool. A particularly good option for Paris-based guests without a car, it can be reached via train and a 10-minute taxi ride.

Huttopia Rambouillet, Route du Château d’Eau, 78120 Rambouillet

Interested in more retreats inside Paris? Check out one of Paris’s most romantic hotels or visit Le REcyclerie.

The post 5 Beautiful Fall Retreats Outside of Paris appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Flower offerings are a daily act of nature-based devotion; a Thank-You to the gods and a way to placate demons; a selfless act in a selfie-obsessed universe.

Called canang sari, Balinese flower offerings are made by women, who arrange the petals that symbolize different gods, braid or sew the palm leaves, and then bless them with a douse of holy water. Red flowers represent Brahma, yellow flowers (generally frangipani), stand for Shiva (Mahadeva), and blue or green ones represent Vishnu. It’s easy to trip over the offerings, but don’t step on one or kick it aside if the incense is burning: that means it’s still wafting the essence of a gift to heaven.

There’s lots to do on Bali, especially in Ubud– the artsy city immortalized by Eat Pray Love– on an island that lives and breathes both art and nature. Below, we explore some of Bali’s best offerings.

Temples

The most spectacular of Bali’s hundreds of Hindu temples are its sea temples south of Ubud, which are especially photogenic at sunset, silhouetted againt the sky. Pura Tanah Lot is actually built on a black rock in the sea near shore. Pura Luhur Uluwatu, which crowns a clifftop 250 feet above the Indian Ocean, dates back to the 10^th century. (Though visitors should beware of its larcenously-inclined monkeys, adept at grabbing anything from cellphones to cameras– but they can be bribed with fruit.)

Food

For traditional food from across Indonesia in a four-level space near the Campuhan Bridge, Murni’s Warung has been around since 1974. Browse in the owner’s antiques and collectibles shop on the ground floor while waiting, for everything from masks and jewelry to statues and textiles. Delightful cooking classes are available at hotels and inns like Bisma Eight, Casa Luna, Four Seasons Sayan (just outside Ubud) and Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay (just south of Denpasar Airport).

Drink

Few wine bars have jungle views, but Divine does, as well as one of Bali’s biggest wine lists (350+ labels, most European), wine tasting classes on Friday nights and a wine shop. The classy bar, with velvet sofas and an open-air jungle-facing counter, is part of Bridges, a multi-level restaurant at the Campuhan Bridge. 

Dance-Drama

Many open-air Balinese dance performances that tell stories take place nightly in Ubud or at waterside temples like Pura Tanah Lot and Pura Luhur Uluwatu. There are many different styles. Legong dance features graceful young women in ornate brocaded costumes and headdresses. Barong dance has a mythical lion-like animal. Kecak has 100 men in a circle chanting repetitively in a trance-like state.

Art

For a terrific overview of Balinese painting, from religious to secular themes from village scenes to landscapes, and the role of expatriates like Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet in encouraging and influencing art here, visit the Museum Puri Lukisan. Different schools of art are in different buildings. Know that many villages on Bali specialize in making one art or craft, like stone carving, mask-making, gold or silver jewelry, wood-carving, and even wood carvings of the eagle-shaped god Garuda. It’s fascinating to drive through a village and view hundreds of the same art form.

Rice Terraces

A distinctive feature of the landscape near Ubud is the rice terraces in Tegallalang, emerald-green ribbons on steep hillsides that are a centuries-old form of irrigation. You can walk the rice terraces on private tours (check local listings), but the real magic of Ubud is to just go with the flow– there are idyllic, scenic surprises to be found around every corner.

The post In Bali, “Canang Sari” Flower Offerings Are a Way of Life appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

New features include a kiwifruit tunnel, platforms raised within the space to create dynamic areas of interaction, a digging area that subtly instructs on composting, whimsical dandelion sculptures, and classic toadstool seats, without which no children’s garden would be complete. Familiar features like the motion activating misters and watering and planting stations are still there– so no fear if you’re looking for your old standbys.

As always, admission is free.

The USBG is located at 245 First St. SW, Washington, DC. To learn more about the Children’s Garden, visit their website.

The post Events We Love: USBG Reopens Children’s Garden appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Though lavender isn’t even native to Maui (it originated in the Mediterranean), that first plant—a housewarming gift to the farm’s founder, Alii Chang—positively thrived after Chang planted it on the property he’d bought as a retirement project.

That part of the story probably shouldn’t be that surprising, as Chang was an avid and successful farmer—before retiring, he owned a 50-acre tropical flower farm that exported flowers from Hawaii all over the world. But lavender is hardly a plant you associate with exotic Hawaii, where hibiscus and frangipani reign, and Chang didn’t know much, if anything really, about it.

As luck would have it, lavender is a plant that thrives on neglect, so Kula, which is in a sunny area of the island that gets only about 25 inches of rainfall annually, turned out to be an ideal location for the herb to flourish without much attention.

In Chang’s mind, the plant chose him, and within a year, he chose it right back in spades, buying and planting 1,000 lavender plants on his original three acres. In 2002, the Ali`i Kula Lavender Farm (sometimes abbreviated as “AKL”) opened to the public.

Lavender may be the main botanical attraction at AKL (you don’t even have to get out of your car to see row after row of lavender mounds growing up a wide slope), but it’s hardly the only one. The sprawling farm is also home to an amazing array of flowers, including hydrangea, protea (an exotic flower native to South Africa and Australia), bird of paradise, orchids, and sunflowers. “We like to think of ourselves as a botanical garden,” says Danielle Ordonez, the farm’s customer service supervisor. (Coincidentally, the farm is down the road and around the corner from the actual Kula Botanical Garden.)

One hundred olive trees line the whole property, which also features avocado and citrus trees, tons of succulents, and a host of tall, columnar, and very dramatic-looking cypress and juniper cypress trees. It’s a horticultural marvel.

Then there’s the view—sweeping and spectacular. At 4,000 feet above sea level, you’re high enough to see the islands of Kaho’olawe, Moloka’i, and Lana’i. By itself, it’s worth the price of admission to the farm ($3 per person).

But be sure you tear yourself away from it and see the whole property. There’s something of beauty everywhere you look: Artifacts and antiques that Chang has collected over the years are on display throughout the fields and gardens, and seating (painted lavender, of course) is scattered throughout.

And with gurgling fountains and the intoxicating scent of lavender in the air, your other senses will be happily engaged as well. (One caution: The grounds aren’t level, so be sure you wear sturdy shoes to prevent falls!)

You can explore the farm on your own, but if you have time, take the walking tour (30 to 40 minutes; $12 per person, $10 if booked in advance). You’ll learn how to distinguish between various varieties of lavender—for instance, the leaves of French lavender have serrated edges like a French braid, while Spanish lavender has long, petal-like ears that grow out of the top and look like bunny ears.

All the varieties smell different, too—some are sweet, some are citrusy, while others are fruity, woody, or menthol-y. You’ll also get cuttings of lavender on the tour that you can press as a keepsake or sniff later if you have trouble sleeping (the herb is proven to help lull you to dreamland).

There’s no bad time to go to AKL—six varieties of lavender bloom year-round, so there’s always something purplish to see. This coincides well with the pervading advice of travel experts to visit Hawaii in the off-season (mid-April to mid-June or September to mid-December), when the weather is reliably good and airfare and accommodations are cheaper– though Ordonez says that lavender is really a summer bloomer that’s at its height in July and August. (Bonus: It also smells more potent then.)

Either way, AKL is a gorgeous off-the-beaten path destination in Maui that is worthy of any itinerary. For those visiting Hawaii this summer, it’s well worth a trip to the farm. While you’re there, be sure to say a silent “Mahalo” (Hawaiian for “Thank You”) to the friend who bought Alii Chang that first lavender plant.

AKL Maui is located at 1100 Waipoli Road in Kula, Hawaii. For more information, visit the farm’s website.

The post Visiting a Lavender Farm in Maui appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Since its inception around the turn of the millennium, everything on the Broadwoodside estate has been planted and maintained by Master Gardener Guy Donaldson, who has worked and lived here with his family since 1999, “when the garden was no more than an idea.”

Live-in Master Gardeners, of course, are a staple of any Scottish garden worth visiting, as the care and attention to detail that defines so many of the world’s most iconic UK gardens necessitates their presence.

On a recent trip to Scotland, GC paid a visit to the property to glean some insight on a place that so beautifully encapsulates the spirit of a traditional Scottish walled garden. After a lovely morning rendezvous at the nearby Haddington Farmers’ Market (where we purchased Scottish whisky, local heather honey, and hand-made bog myrtle lotion), the simple elegance of Broadwoodside became the cornerstone of an afternoon well-spent.

Broadwoodside, like Scotland itself, is an ancient settlement. In 1591, John Robeson of Broadwoodside was one of the jurors in the trial of Agnes Sampson (the most infamous of the North Berwick Witches,) who was executed in Edinburgh for “raising a storm against the ship in which King James VI was traveling”.

As a result, James became obsessed with the threat posed by witches and wrote [easyazon_link identifier=”1908388811″ locale=”US” tag=”gardcoll03-20″]The Daemonologie[/easyazon_link] in 1597– a seminal work in fear-mongering with respect to witchcraft, which is thought to have inspired Shakespeare when he was writing Macbeth in 1606.)

On a lovely spring day in May, the garden at Broadwoodside was radiant as a fairytale.

Chickens run around in dew-covered grasses overlooking mossy glens, and the orchard, topiary walk, geranium beds, and willow pond make the old stable yard look effortlessly lush– everything in the garden as been laboriously planted to look accidental, and the dense planting reflect this attention to detail. Donaldson oversees a kitchen and cutting garden that grows leafy butter lettuce whose pest-free leaves we can’t help but admire, and the garden is dotted with sculptures commissioned from local artisans (the golden apples in the orchard were made by Brian Caster at Powderhall Bronze Edinburgh, and The Aviary in the upper courtyard was made in Haddington by Stewart & Buglass; William, an African grey parrot, lives inside).

Parts of an old farmhouse from 1680, meanwhile, have survived to the present day in lime mortar that has been dated back to the era. The age of the estate, like the garden’s immaculate capacity for growth, is seemingly unfathomable.

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

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One of the most compelling aspects of Broadwoodside (besides its impossibly-lush design) is its strategic planting. The flower beds surrounding the perimeter of the walled garden are about a meter below the level of the fields on the other side of the wall– as a result, they remain permanently damp, which contributes to the border’s photogenic appeal (its almost impossible for these plants to die from neglect, as they receive a steady stream of nutrients, naturally).

The willow pond in the kitchen garden, meanwhile, is fed by run-off from the steading’s extensive roofs– a hidden boon ensuring low-maintenance upkeep.

The willow hedge is cut back every winter and would grow up to 9 feet over the summer if it was not trimmed– but that doesn’t stop Donaldson from doing it in a way that allows overgrowth to look attractive. Plants, moreover, have been trained to grow into their meticulously-kept home in a way that feels organic– even when it is anything but. The garden at Broadwoodside is carefully maintained to look like it grew that way on its own.

For more information or to plan a visit to Broadwoodside, visit the property’s website.

The post The Garden at Broadwoodside Captures The Magic of Scotland appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Antigua is a small city of 35,000 people defined by cobblestoned streets and surrounded by three volcanoes, just an hour’s drive from Guatemala City. In a tradition as unique as Antigua’s geography, floral carpets, called alfombras, are created anew each day by locals in the days leading up to Easter. The petals and produce are trampled on by processions of the devout that take place day and night, many of whose participants are clad in deep purple robes with hoods, who carry floats of life-sized religious statues and icons. Carpet patterns can depict flowers, birds, geometric shapes, religious symbology, and any other designs that arise in the fertile imaginations of their volunteer creators.
“There is no annual theme– every group does their own thing. My favorites are the organic-looking carpets handcrafted with fruits and vegetables, though the sawdust ones are quite beautiful and colorful,” says Ann Flower, president of Ann Flower Communications, a Los Angeles public relations firm, whose client is Bella Guatemala Travel (BGT).

“Flowers I’ve spotted include bird of paradise, roses, calla lilies, bougainvillea, hydrangea, heliconia, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers, and sea lavender,” adds the aptly-named Flower. “Vegetables and fruits I’ve seen range from pineapples, corn, mangoes, watermelons, papayas, cabbage, carrots, red bell peppers, potatoes, beans, oranges, broccoli, beets to green onions,” she adds.
Antigua’s Easter carpets and festivities are so popular that over one million visitors come to see them annually. As a result, solo travelers are advised to book Antigua hotels months ahead, or to travel from Guatemala City to see the iconic floral display.

“Holy Week in Antigua, called Semana Santa, is a truly unique cultural experience in staunchly Catholic Guatemala, and reflects the religious fervor imported from Spain 500 years ago,” says Elsie YiDonoy, CEO of BGT.

Excitement in Antigua reaches a peak on Good Friday (April 14, in 2017), when morning processions leave from La Merced, a 17th-century church and ruined monastery, formally called Iglesia y Convento de Nuestra Senora de la Merced. Lily designs adorn the entrance arch of the yellow church, and the huge fountain, 80 feet wide, inside the ruins is shaped like a water lily (a symbol of power to ancient Mayans). Another procession in late afternoon departs from Escuela de Cristo, and crucifixion enactments sometimes take place in the green Parque Central.

Even if you’re not lucky enough to see Antigua at Easter, processions and vigils take place each weekend during Lent in the 40 days before Easter Sunday. Other cities also have street carpets at Easter: the Guinness World Record for longest sawdust and floral carpet was set in 2014 in Guatemala City, the capital. Over a mile long at 6,600 feet (over 2,000 feet longer than the previous record-holder), it took over 5,000 volunteers and over 50 tons of dyed sawdust to produce it.
Local scholar Elizabeth Bell has written a booklet that explains the celebrations in detail, including Lent and Holy Week in Antigua, plus a book, [easyazon_link identifier=”9992226471″ locale=”US” tag=”gardcoll03-20″]Antigua Guatemala: The City and Its Heritage[/easyazon_link]. For an up-close-and-personal look at past floral carpet Easter displays, check out the gallery, below.

The post The Flower Carpets of Antigua Presage Easter in Guatemala appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.

Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a hidden gem of Los Angeles: the Temple, Shrine, and Meditation Garden offers guests from around the world a quiet oasis for meditation on a beautiful clifftop overlooking Malibu.

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

Dedicated to Parmanhansa Yogananda– one of the first gurus credited with bringing yoga to the West– the garden is the successor location to the Self-Realization Fellowship in Mt. Washington (a working monastery nestled in the San Rafael hills that’s filled with native Southern California plants, which Yogananda established after his arrival to Los Angeles in the 1920’s).

Photo: Molly Beauchemin

A pair of ginormous, rowdy swans and dozens of adorable turtles call the lake home, and when visitors aren’t walking around the shores in pursuit of botanical curiosities (there are mass plantings of naturalized flowers all over the grounds) they can also stop by for tea in the welcome center, or drop in on a meditation class in the temple overlooking the water.

Lake Shrine offers free non-denominational meditation classes in their on-site church, including Beginners’ Meditation, Guided Meditation, Kirtan, and Chanting. Complementary “Friendship Tea” is offered on Sundays at Noon– all the more reason to stop by and smell the camellias.

For more information on SRF’s Lake Shrine, its meditation gardens, or meditation retreats, visit the organization’s website. 

The post A Camellia Tree Grows in Malibu appeared first on Garden Collage Magazine.